Former Wando County Councilor Kim Shin Makes Fourth Bid for County Governor

Mobilizing Central Government Connections for Fiscal Support and Income Growth
Accelerating Completion of the Wando-Naju Railway and Expressway
Aiming for a Comeback Based on Extensive Political Experience and Local Roots

Kim Shin, former Wando County Councilor, has strongly expressed his intention to run for Wando County Governor in next year's election. This will be his fourth attempt, and he is aiming for a political comeback based on his extensive experience and deep local roots.

Speaking with Asia Economy on September 24, Kim said, "Based on my experience running in several elections, I feel that some candidates are moving too quickly after the presidential election," adding, "I do not intend to rush. I plan to officially announce my candidacy calmly around the end of the year."

Kim Shin, former member of Wando County Council

Kim served as a member of the 4th and 5th Wando County Council, working across the region. Despite losing three elections, he has maintained steady community engagement and communication with residents, earning a reputation as the candidate with the strongest grassroots support in the area.

After graduating from Jeonnam Technical High School and completing graduate school, Kim gained experience in the labor field at Hyundai Heavy Industries and Korea Heavy Industries. He later returned to Wando, where he became involved in youth and civil society movements, and served as a county councilor for eight years. Kim stated, "Witnessing the 5·18 Democratization Movement in Gwangju during my youth changed my life," and added, "Through union activities, I learned the values of honesty, dedication, and courage, and I continue to base my politics on this philosophy."

Kim announced that, if elected as Wando County Governor, he would implement six key management principles. He emphasized, "I will prioritize administrative policies that maximize residents' satisfaction," and added, "To improve administrative service satisfaction, increase residents' income, and enhance fiscal independence, I will mobilize all my central government connections to actively attract financial support from national institutions."

To overcome Wando's geographical limitations, he stated, "I will focus all efforts on securing the Naju-Wando railway line and expediting the completion of the expressway to Wando." He also pledged, "I am determined to become a direct salesperson to expand the market for Wando's specialty products, such as abalone and seaweed."

He also presented concrete island policies to boost tourism. Kim explained, "I will utilize both inhabited and uninhabited island resources to develop Wando into a tourist destination, thereby increasing residents' income." Regarding the issue of abalone overproduction, he said, "I will activate a voluntary dense stocking prevention council among fishing villages," and added, "By pioneering overseas markets and attracting large corporations' technology, we will launch processed abalone products and promote mass consumption."

In the field of education, he said, "I will promote the 'Wando Education Model,' which connects education from kindergarten through high school, to create an environment where students can enter good universities without having to study outside the region," and added, "I also plan to pursue the elevation of Wando Fisheries High School to national status."

He also gave a positive assessment of the current Wando County Governor, Shin Woochul. He said, "Governor Shin has led Wando County relatively stably over the past 10 years and played a significant role in minimizing political conflict within the local community," adding, "His administration, which avoided political retaliation, his emphasis on communication, his gentle leadership style, and his inclusive attitude toward diverse groups are all highly commendable."

He continued, "After the 2014 election, I personally met Governor Shin and pointed out issues of political retaliation by the previous administration, but Governor Shin was different," adding, "Unlike his predecessors, he practiced politics of harmony without excluding any particular group, which left a strong impression on me."

Kim plans to officially announce his candidacy at the end of this year and then fully launch his election campaign.